Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Credit: IceCube collaboration/NASA
The most powerful cosmic rays may not come from distant galaxies but from dark matter annihilation right here in our Milky Way.
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A proposed dark matter particle, the scalaron, could be colliding and self-destructing, releasing ultra-high-energy cosmic rays.
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These cosmic rays are trillions of times more powerful than those created in Earth’s largest particle accelerators, like the LHC.
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Scalarons may have formed during cosmic inflation, an era when the universe expanded faster than light after the Big Bang.
Credit: NASA
Two scalarons rarely meet, but when they do, they annihilate in a burst of extreme energy, creating ultra-high-energy particles.
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If this theory holds, it could offer proof of dark matter and reveal secrets about the early universe never seen before.
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Scientists warn that this idea requires changes to Einstein’s relativity, meaning it may collapse under deeper scrutiny.
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Some believe molecular clouds in our galaxy might produce these rays, meaning dark matter may not be the culprit after all.
Further studies could confirm or debunk this radical idea, potentially rewriting our understanding of dark matter and cosmic energy.